X-Men & Gay Themes

Well let me start by saying I'm a huge fan of X-Men, they're my favourite comics to read and when I was younger (like 12/13) I always caught the themes they showed through the fictional characters. One that really touched me around that time was the fact that they were fighting to protect people that hated them for being different. When I read that it kind of made me think that yeah it's OK to be different when you're OK with yourself and among others like yourself but we'll always be a minority, even when you're doing good things for the people around you. I see that today when they have gays in the army and people still hate them and want them out of there even though they're doing something the ones complaining wouldn't even do.

The next one came from the Mutant Registration Act/Proposition X storylines where first it was mandatory for mutants to be registered and documented by the government, and ones that refused were hunted down and attacked. Then following up that storyline was Proposition X which enforced birth control on all mutants that were discovered as babies as well as when they tried to procreate. I've read stuff on here about the latter story, where some guys said that if the 'gay gene' were found it'd lead to some having abortions of those gay babies.

So did any of you guys pick up on these themes and maybe feel like they could be a fore-telling of the future depending on who's in charge of big decisions like this in the future? Also, do you think that things will be like their world where mutants are still hated by humans for no reason, so in comparison gays will always be hated even if by a smaller number? I really wanted to bring this up after I watched X-Men: First Class recently because I felt like that show really tried to capture the idea of the hate the humans had against the mutants that even (at that time) Americans would join forces with Russians just to get rid of them.

I picked up on it too, especially when I went to see first class at the cinema with my boyfriend.

It's an interesting little social statement, though I guess since most people have something that makes them different which they've been picked on for its easy for most to relate in one way or another.

Especially since X Men appeals to a demographic which, stereotypically, aren't the most socially aspirational.

Sparks saidI picked up on it too, especially when I went to see first class at the cinema with my boyfriend.

It's an interesting little social statement, though I guess since most people have something that makes them different which they've been picked on for its easy for most to relate in one way or another.

Especially since X Men appeals to a demographic which, stereotypically, aren't the most socially aspirational.

Isn't that awesome though. I think that makes the argument for the importance of pride in our community. Ugh so many guys think that being gay should just be who you have sex with and nothing else! But the reality is that we should be like the xmen and celebrate our differences. Using them to make the world a better place!

If I were an x-men I would be storm. She's a fierce bitch and I love her.

Sparks saidI picked up on it too, especially when I went to see first class at the cinema with my boyfriend.

It's an interesting little social statement, though I guess since most people have something that makes them different which they've been picked on for its easy for most to relate in one way or another.

Especially since X Men appeals to a demographic which, stereotypically, aren't the most socially aspirational.

Well for one I know Bryan Singer was working on First Class and he's gay so I guess he tried to put a lot into First Class, like where Beast said "you didn't ask, so I didn't tell" or something like that and the whole Mystique thing with "no more hiding" and Magneto's view of the humans hating them just like they hated Shaw, with no difference seen between the two parties.

But when you think about it, mutants are hated obviously because they can be dangerous and also they're not fully understood by humans. Has anyone ever tried to link why people hate gays, besides the religious stuff? I always thought that the hate stemmed from religion but reading about the Lavender Scare, it has me wondering about the root of the hatred.

x-men and discourse on gays/lesbians also heavily focuses on the genetic component, which is not that well understood in both cases. but the introduction of the genetic does not help either movements, as mutants are even further ostracized with a biological explanation to point to, and research on "the gay gene" hasn't really gotten us anywhere either..

Great post! I was watching X-men 1-2 and X-men First Class last week with one of my close friends, which also motivated a similar topic for conversation.

He's never read X-men comics so the movies and characters were kind of new to him. However, he knew right away that mutants life struggles related to many gay life issues.

Ex: When Bobby (Iceman) finally reveals to his family that he is a mutant and his mother asks him, "Have you tried not being a mutant?". This scene shared similarities to how a gay son would come out to his parents.

Wolfrain saidGreat post! I was watching X-men 1-2 and X-men First Class last week with one of my close friends, which also motivated a similar topic for conversation.

He's never read X-men comics so the movies and characters were kind of new to him. However, he knew right away that mutants life struggles related to many gay life issues.

Ex: When Bobby (Iceman) finally reveals to his family that he is a mutant and his mother asks him, "Have you tried not being a mutant?". This scene shared similarities to how a gay son would come out to his parents.

Yeah I actually forgot about that... it's a shame though that some people don't see it and when you bring it up they think that you're just trying to make something 'gay.' I told my brothers about what X-Men was showing and they got all mad and said that they can't be something gay.

Wolfrain saidGreat post! I was watching X-men 1-2 and X-men First Class last week with one of my close friends, which also motivated a similar topic for conversation.

He's never read X-men comics so the movies and characters were kind of new to him. However, he knew right away that mutants life struggles related to many gay life issues.

Ex: When Bobby (Iceman) finally reveals to his family that he is a mutant and his mother asks him, "Have you tried not being a mutant?". This scene shared similarities to how a gay son would come out to his parents.

Wolfrain saidGreat post! I was watching X-men 1-2 and X-men First Class last week with one of my close friends, which also motivated a similar topic for conversation.

He's never read X-men comics so the movies and characters were kind of new to him. However, he knew right away that mutants life struggles related to many gay life issues.

Ex: When Bobby (Iceman) finally reveals to his family that he is a mutant and his mother asks him, "Have you tried not being a mutant?". This scene shared similarities to how a gay son would come out to his parents.

Nice job skipping the third ” film”.

Well I have to admit, as much of a diehard fan of X-Men I am, the third film wasn't all that good. I still liked it because Jean got a lot of screen-time but the execution was pretty bad. I think X-2 and First Class were the best ones.

Wolfrain saidGreat post! I was watching X-men 1-2 and X-men First Class last week with one of my close friends, which also motivated a similar topic for conversation.

He's never read X-men comics so the movies and characters were kind of new to him. However, he knew right away that mutants life struggles related to many gay life issues.

Ex: When Bobby (Iceman) finally reveals to his family that he is a mutant and his mother asks him, "Have you tried not being a mutant?". This scene shared similarities to how a gay son would come out to his parents.

Nice job skipping the third ” film”.

LOL He wants to see the third film, but i told him it's optional and he wouldn't miss much. Maybe I should just fast-foward to the good scenes for him.

Wolfrain saidGreat post! I was watching X-men 1-2 and X-men First Class last week with one of my close friends, which also motivated a similar topic for conversation.

He's never read X-men comics so the movies and characters were kind of new to him. However, he knew right away that mutants life struggles related to many gay life issues.

Ex: When Bobby (Iceman) finally reveals to his family that he is a mutant and his mother asks him, "Have you tried not being a mutant?". This scene shared similarities to how a gay son would come out to his parents.

Nice job skipping the third ” film”.

LOL He wants to see the third film, but i told him it's optional and he wouldn't miss much. Maybe I should just fast-foward to the good scenes for him.

Well he could still watch it, don't tell him it's not as good as the others because that'll just make him expect it to be bad. At the end of the day, Jean is in it so that's all that matters

Beast isn't gay though... at least not that I've read recently. I know Mystique is bisexual. The gay characters I know about are Northstar, Ultimate Colossus and I think Quicksilver is gay in some alternate universe.

Not just gay it was able to relate to any socially marginalised group which experience prejudice and discrimination from what was considered to be the primary and predominate norm within the population.

X-men dated back to 1963 and fluffled as many ignorant feathers as possible. Always loved it for that reason.